The Positive Power of Imagery: Harnessing Client Imagination in CBT and Related Therapies

The Positive Power of Imagery......Page 3
Contents......Page 9
List of Tables......Page 15
Acknowledgments......Page 17
About the Author......Page 19
PART I THEORETICAL BACKGROUND......Page 21
1 Introduction: On Becoming a Therapist......Page 23
Who Am I and What Am I Doing? (The Emperor is Naked; The Wingless Bird)......Page 24
How Can I Do What I Plan to Do? (The Ladder; Having a Dream)......Page 26
Swimming Against the Tide: How Can I Remain Positive?......Page 28
How Can I Best Do What Needs to Be Done? (Discovering Creativity and Guided Imagination)......Page 30
Overview of the Book......Page 32
The Basic View Underlying CBT......Page 35
The Transition to an Approach Integrating Cognitive Therapy......Page 37
The Integration of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies......Page 38
Self-Control Models: An Offshoot of Integrated CBT......Page 40
Constructivism Enters the Scene......Page 41
Mindfulness Becomes Part of CBT......Page 42
Major Tenets and Processes of CBT......Page 44
Skills-Directed Therapy......Page 52
Practice: Guidelines for Developing the Client’s Profile......Page 54
3 On Being a Positive Therapist......Page 57
The Positive View of Clients and Therapeutic Processes......Page 58
Defining Positive Psychology......Page 61
Positive Psychology and Happiness......Page 62
Subjective Wellbeing......Page 64
Training in Positive Psychology......Page 67
Practice: Guidelines for Applying Positive Psychology Exercises......Page 71
4 Creativity: Who Needs It, and for What?......Page 75
What Is Creativity?......Page 77
Creativity and Emotion......Page 80
Creativity, Genetics, and Intelligence......Page 82
How Can One Promote Creative Action?......Page 83
Who Are Creative People?......Page 85
Creative Psychotherapy and Creative Psychotherapists......Page 86
Noncreative Imagery in Therapy......Page 89
Techniques to Facilitate Therapists’ Creativity......Page 90
Summary......Page 91
Practice: Guidelines for Activating One’s Creativity......Page 92
The Unique Nature of Childhood......Page 93
Characteristics of Childhood Disorders......Page 95
CBT with Children as Distinct from CBT with Adults......Page 96
Applying CBT with Children......Page 97
Considering Developmental Components......Page 98
Practice: Guidelines for Applying CBT with Children......Page 105
PART II THE POSITIVE POWER OF IMAGERY......Page 109
Perspectives on the Major Concepts......Page 111
Imagery and Memory......Page 113
Historical Uses of Imagery......Page 114
Imagery......Page 115
Types of Imagery......Page 116
Pros and Cons of Working with Imagery......Page 120
Summary......Page 123
Practice: Guidelines for Increasing Therapists’ Own Ability to Elicit Memories......Page 124
What Kinds of Therapies Can Integrate Imagery, and for Which Client Problems?......Page 127
Overcoming Resistance to or Anxiety about Imagery Work......Page 130
The Major Benefits of Imagery Use in Psychotherapy......Page 131
Dangers of Working with Imagery......Page 139
Practice: Guidelines for Therapists and Clients to Foster Imagery in Therapy......Page 141
What Are Metaphors?......Page 143
Metaphors and Emotions......Page 144
The Role of Metaphors in Therapy......Page 145
Client- and Therapist-Generated Metaphors......Page 152
Practice: Guidelines for Therapists Beginning Metaphor Work......Page 155
PART III PREPARING TO APPLY THERAPY THROUGH IMAGERY......Page 157
Preliminary Preparations......Page 159
Meditation......Page 160
Relaxation......Page 161
Types of Relaxation Techniques......Page 163
Practice: Guidelines for Therapist Self-Relaxation Exercises......Page 167
Preparation of Therapist, Setting, and Client......Page 169
Pre-Imagery Exercises in Eliciting Images......Page 171
Pre-Imagery Practice of Client Relaxation, to Set the Stage for Generating Images......Page 173
Bringing Up Images and Describing Them......Page 174
Facilitating New Coping Skills Through Imagery......Page 179
Ending the Imagery Work Phase Within the Session......Page 180
Follow-Up to Imagery Work: Reflection, Interpretation, and Meaning Making......Page 183
Assigning Homework......Page 185
Practice: Guidelines for Summarizing Knowledge and Skills Needed for Conducting the Session......Page 186
Applying Relaxation to Diverse Childhood Disorders......Page 189
Adapting Relaxation Techniques to Children’s Needs and Abilities......Page 190
Case I: Dianne’s Television Phobia and Anxieties......Page 191
Case II: Ronnie’s Stuttering......Page 192
Case III: Daniel’s Test Anxiety......Page 193
Applying Imagery Techniques with Children......Page 194
Summary......Page 196
Practice: Guidelines for Adapting Relaxation and Imagery to Children and Young People......Page 197
PART IV USING IMAGERY WHILE ASSESSING AND TREATING CLIENTS......Page 199
Imagery Integration into Assessment......Page 201
Assessment in Different Treatment Phases......Page 204
Targets for Conducting Assessment......Page 206
Practice: Guidelines for the Main Questions Directed at Each Assessment Target......Page 215
Treating Distressing Past Events......Page 219
Imaginal Exposure Followed by In Vivo Exposure......Page 221
Imaginal Exposure Instead of In Vivo Exposure......Page 224
Imagery as a Way to Elicit Memories and Remember Forgotten Material......Page 227
Using Imagery for Cognitive Restructuring of Past Trauma......Page 230
Practice: Guidelines for Choosing Between Options......Page 234
14 Imparting Assessment and Awareness Skills for Changing Present Behavior......Page 237
Imparting Skills for Self-Assessment......Page 238
Imparting Skills for Assessment of Relationships......Page 241
Imparting Skills to Increase Awareness of Internal Stimuli......Page 247
Imparting Skills for Changing Automatic Thoughts......Page 251
Practice: General Guidelines......Page 254
15 Imparting Skills to Improve Present Coping......Page 255
Preparation Phase: Learning and Memorizing Materials Through Visualization......Page 256
Execution Phase: Alternative Positive Images, Gradual Exposure, Humor, and Role Reversal......Page 258
Eliciting Positive Images During Stressful Performance Situations......Page 259
Implementing Gradual Exposure to the Feared Situation......Page 260
Using Humor and Role Reversal to Gain Control and Confidence......Page 262
Skills for Improving Social Relationships......Page 263
Skills for Initiating Social Contacts......Page 264
Assertiveness Skills (Learning to Say No)......Page 267
Summary......Page 270
16 Imparting Skills for Developing a Positive View of the Future......Page 271
Planning the Future......Page 273
Facilitating Positive Emotions and Sensations......Page 275
Increasing Happy Relationships......Page 279
Summary......Page 282
17 Imparting Skills to Help Children Change: Further Guidelines and Case Illustrations......Page 283
Treating Young Children......Page 284
Treating Children in Middle Childhood......Page 287
Treating Adolescents......Page 291
Practice: Guidelines for Imparting Skills to Children......Page 294
PART V NOTES AND CONCLUSIONS FOR IMAGERY THERAPISTS......Page 295
18 Helping Therapists Help Themselves......Page 297
Skills for Self-Supervision......Page 298
Skills for Learning to “Get Rid” of Difficult Things and Continue Toward the Future......Page 301
Skills for Focusing on Your Own Positive Abilities as a Therapist......Page 302
Skills for Planning Future Therapeutic Processes......Page 305
General Skills for Helping Yourself......Page 306
Summary......Page 308
19 Summary: Limitations, Dangers, and Future Directions......Page 309
Limitations: Is Imagery Therapy Evidence Based?......Page 311
Are There Dangers in Applying Imagery Therapy?......Page 314
Last Words......Page 315
References......Page 317
Index......Page 333